Arsenal soccer club has had many great teams and players, with three double-winning teams and numerous title-winning sides. Great English and foreign players wore the red and white of Arsenal from the 1930s into the 21st century. These are some of the great Arsenal players who have starred for the Gunners.
Drake was a particularly prolific goal-scoring player who played for Arsenal during the 1930s. During this period, he scored up to 124 goals for Arsenal. He set some scoring records for the club, including 42 goals in 41 league games in 1935. Drake had a scoring record very much comparable to record goal scorer Henry, although he did not play so many games.
Wright set new records for Arsenal during the 1990s. Winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and Cup Winners’ Cup medals, Wright was consistently the club’s top goal-scoring player in each season he played. Wright broke the club scoring record during their double-winning season and won the Premiership title and FA Cup by the end of the season.
When we talk of great foreign players, Bergkamp was perhaps the best foreign player to play for Arsenal in the 20th century. When he joined the club, his seven million transfer fee was a club record at the time. Bergkamp was a forward player who had great skill, and although was not the most prolific of goal-scoring forwards, still scored more than 100 goals for the club.
Bergkamp scored some particularly great goals, some of which were the Premiership’s goals of the seasons. He also set up many goals for other Arsenal forwards, most notably Henry and Wright. His best season came in 1998 when he was the team’s top goal-scoring player, won the double, and the PFA Player of the Year award.
Viera was a defensive midfielder who dominated the midfield. For Arsenal, he became a key player in their 1998, 2002, and 2004 title-winning teams. Not always the cleanest of players, Viera’s tackling and passing were very efficient and he was consistently one of the top players in the Premiership.
Liam Brady was a midfield player who played on the wing for Arsenal during the 1970s. During this period Brady played in four cup finals, including the 1979 FA Cup final which Arsenal won 3-2. Brady played a part in three of Arsenal’s goals, and the final is sometimes called the Brady Cup final. Overall, Brady was a great passer and crosser of the ball who also scored goals from midfield.
David O’Leary was the longest-serving Arsenal player to have played for the club. From the 1970s up to the early ’90s, O’Leary played in the center of Arsenal’s defense and one of the finest defenses that conceded just 18 goals in 1991. Leary played in a record number of Arsenal games and won numerous trophies, including a couple of league titles, FA Cups, and the League Cup.
Thierry Henry joined Arsenal in 1999 with an 11 million transfer when he was more recognized as a winger. Henry was one of the most explosive strikers ever seen in English soccer when playing for the Gunners with his lightning pace and amazing dribbling. He scored a record 228 goals for Arsenal until 2007. During that time, Henry won two Premier League titles and four FA Cups at Arsenal.
These were a few of the greatest players in Arsenal’s history. With these players, the Gunners won many trophies. They were not only great Arsenal players, but some of the best in English soccer. Arsenal will need more players like them to end their league title drought.
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